This invention relates to abrading apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for removing irregularities such as flash from arcuate surfaces. It is especially adapted to finish the ends of forged steel wrenches. The ends may be open end sockets or closed sockets which may have a generally circular outer periphery and an inner periphery shaped to grasp the workpiece. In either case there is a reverse bend connecting the arcuate outer surface of the socket to the connecting arm of the wrench. It is necessary to remove the flash and smooth the surface of the socket and reverse bend. Ths usual way of doing this is by means of hand grinding. This requires very high skill on the part of the operator and he is very highly paid. Even though highly skilled the operator cannot do a perfect job. In some cases, especially with small wrenches, the finished socket wall will have a non-uniform thickness and in some cases a portion of the wall will be so reduced in thickness that the life of the wrench is short. The appearance of the surface is often such that some customers will not buy the wrench. Thus it is a costly and unsatisfactory process. In order to eliminate some of the hand work it has been suggested, and sometimes used, to assemble several wrenches together and by relative motion between the outer part of the sockets and a belt grinder to remove the flash from the outer end portion of the socket. However, hand work is still required to grind at least the reverse bend of the wrench. Apparently this method is not satisfactory since it is seldom used.
It is therefore an object of my invention to provide abrading apparatus which can remove flash and smooth the surface of a workpiece of an irregular shape without the use of hand grinding.